The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-16
EDITORIAL grfefs.
BY REV. I. M. ATWOOD, D. D.
Canton, N. Y.

IT is required of stewards that man
be found faithful. And who is not q
steward? Something is put into ev cry
ones hands to care for or to administ
That constitutes him steward. From
the President, who originated the maxim
that "public Office is public trust" to
the stable-boy who got out OF his bed and
hastened back mile in the darkness be-
cause he forgot " to feed Billy" there Is
no exception to the good rule. Alas, that
so many men thought to be wiser and
better than their fellows, should all their
life long enforce the rule only by dis
regarding it What wealth Of satire in
the name of the latest scene of plunder-
Fidelity Bank"
Miss Glider, OF the Critic, has been
telling the girls in several colleges, open
to women, what the chances are for coll
lege- bred women, in literature. She
points out that considerable share Of
our present literary celebrities are not;
college trained. Then she reminds her
hearers that in the earlier and ON the
whole stronger literary era, the ablest
and most brilliant writer's were college
men. From these data she reaches the
conclusion that in the near future our
literature is to be lifted and carried for
ward by men and women who have en-
joyed all the advantages that colleges.
afford"
The literary artist is not made in any
school. He is helped, however, to do
more and better with bis gift-for the art
of expression which entities one to a
place in literature is gift-by the cul-
ture and training which schools supply.
But as great singers and painters are not
produced by course of study, so the lit.
erary artist is not. The divine fire is ele-
mental and original with man, or it is
not at all. Is it evolved from country
OF students? Who can tell?
The opinion Of the street preachers,
that a work like theirs is demanded to
reach the great numbers of people who
cannot be induced to enter the churches,
is supplemented by the opinion of the
Rev. 81. L. Hastings, editor of the Chris
tian, who is distributing vast amount
of " anti-infidelity" literature amorg the
same classes. Mr.. Hastings is convinced
that the large and learned treatises on the
Christian evidences will never reach the
common people. He believes in provid-
ing tracts, short discourees, popular
| pamphlets, aimed directly at the common
mind and furnished SO cheaply as to be
within reach of all.
We do not admire much of Mr.. Has
tings' anti-infdelity literature. IT.
brings within the reach of skepticaI
minds OF the lower class quite too much
evidence that their prejudice against re-
ligion is not groundless. Mr.. Hastings
tracts contain much that is sound and
wholesome, and he is apt to say things in
a telling way. If man of fuller knowI-
edge and more rational theories could
edit his polemics, the good they are cal
culated to do would be less compromised
by the error they contain. But the
method is practical and the zeal and skill
shown in using it, worthy of all praise.
The complaint is fre equent that "you
can put no confidence in what the papers
say" about men or events. This criticism
Is frequently applied with special bitter
ness to the religious press; not because
our religious journals are sinners above
others, but because accuracy and candor
should be more characteristic of them.
We feel the iustness of the structure. Par
tisanship, personal interest, prejudice,
sway writer's even when they are trying
to tell the truth. Consider, too, how
often a "notice" or "report" is drawn
mild out of regard for the feelings of in
dividuals or the imagined "good of the
cause" 1t is but fair to credit the papers
with the constant mercy they show, while
charging up against them their long
score of conscious or unconscious mis-
statements.
We notice that the eperal acclaim of
praise evoked by Mayor Hewitt's manner
Of administering the Office of chief mag
istrate of New York City, is broken here
and there by an adverse criticism. The
mayor is man Of great ability and OF
the very highest character. He is hon
est, fearless and intent ON giving the city
good government. But he is bit inn
patient, and every now and then he acts
from the impulse of irritation. This is
never safe in an executive officer. Judg-
ment, not passion; reason not resentment,
should guide him. At his best, he will
err often enough; let him never dare to
disregard his own deliberate convictions.
The Adrance says the religious press
:" is substantially a unit in condemning
the cause of Prof. Smyth" of Andover,
in holding on to his position after he has
ceased to be able to subscribe the creed
OF the seminary. 1t depends on what
you mean by "the religious press" II
You mean the papers of all denominations,
great and small, the fact is, that they are
very far from being a unit. But il the
religious press is construed to mean the
journals that take your view of any sub
iect, the substantially unity may be fig
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